Frivolous Farhan gets Dhaka on its feet
It was a little tricky to figure out what to expect from an event titled “Farhan Live in Dhaka” -- that took place at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) on Thursday. There’s no denying Farhan Akhtar’s stardom, but with the recent trends of Bollywood celebrities coming to Dhaka in much-advertised events, and not exactly doing a lot on the stage, there would be a few skeptics.
But Farhan Akhtar is not your everyday Bollywood hero: he is a supremely talented director and producer, a gritty actor, and most importantly to this event’s cause – a fantastic singer, soulful elocutionist and a dynamite live performer. And thus, those who braved the Thursday afternoon traffic and pelting rain to go to the Blues Communications-Morpheus Planners’ organised event, got their money’s worth, and then some. Farhan, on his maiden visit to Dhaka, got the audience to jump, dance and sing their lungs out in a power-packed display of music, poetry, and a powerful message on equality for women.
Farhan walked in reciting “Toh Zinda Ho Tum”, and got the crowd on its feet, as he burst into “Sinbad The Sailor” and keeping up the tempo with “Dil Dhadakne Do”. He then took the audience on a rollercoaster ride, sometimes with the funky “Main Aisa Kyun Hu”, “Tension Kyun Leta Hai” and “Maston Ka Jhund (aka Havan Karenge)”, interlacing it with soft, melodious ones like “Ahista Ahista”, “Atrangi Yaari” and “Khwabon Ke Parinde” and the sassy “Senorita”, but it was his unbridled energy in tracks like “Pichle Saat Dino Mein”, “Zinda” (which he dedicated to Milkha Singh, the Olympian athlete he brought to life in the biopic “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag”), “Socha Hai” and “Dil Chahta Hai” (the title track of his directorial debut) that were the hallmark of Farhan as a live performer.
Farhan also seized the opportunity to speak about his initiative, MARD (Men Against Rape and Discrimination, and also meaning ‘man’ in Hindi), in a powerful message especially targeted to young men to shoulder the responsibility for a safe, supportive and equal-opportunity world for women. MARD also had a booth outside the venue where audience could take the pledge and sign up.
Despite the infamously tricky acoustics of the Nabaratri Hall (ICCB), the band, Farhan Live, gave a tight performance, who Farhan himself gave ample space to shine. Shannon Donald, the supporting vocal, also made a great impression with the audience with her stage presence and singing. Farhan jumped, ran, bounced up and down and at one point did push-ups on the stage, but never missed a beat, and his singing remained on point, particularly the long, high falsettos.
The event went on smoothly, and Blues Communications deserves credit for that. The cracked voices, sweaty shirts and ruffled hair of the exiting crowd were testament to the great time the audience had had. But no one was complaining; instead they were all smiles and engaged in excited recaps of the concerts -- the way it should be at any great concert.
PHOTOS: SHEIKH MEHEDI MORSHED
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